Safety switch



Oct. 31, 1939. F. J, BATTEs-rlN Er AL 2,178,159

SAFETY SWITCH Filed arch 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEA SAFETY swrrcn Francis J. Battestin and Earl O. Fox, Coshocton, Ohio Application March 24, i939, semi No. 263,999

5 Claims.

This invention relates to safety switches for airplanes, automobiles and other vehicles pro-1 pelled by engines having ignition systems; and the general object of the invention is to providea g switch which will automatically cut off the ignition, thereby to stop the engine, the instant a collision occurs. The device of the invention is also operative to cut oi the ignition if the auto mobile should turn over or be brought to a very lo sudden stop, that is, a stop more sudden than would occur in normal traiiic. The general result of use of the safety switch will be to decrease the loss of life and property from fire; resulting from accidentsto airplanes, automobiles etc.

In the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the device, the ignition circuit being omitted, because well known; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section.

Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown a box or casing 5 having a lid S and providing a housing for supporting and protecting the several parts of the safety switch. Within the 35 casing or box are two switches 1 whose particular construction forms no part of the present invention and hence is not shown, each of said switches being placed' in the ignition circuit of the vehicle, wires 8 being provided for this purpose. Prefer 30 ably the switches 1 are rigidly secured to the bottom of the casing 5 adjacent either end. It will be understood that the switches are arranged in series with each other and with the ignition cir cuit so that if either switch is open the ignition 35 circuit will be broken.

Each of the switches 1 has a switch lever 9 arranged to extend upwardly from the switch casfing, each of the switch levers 9 normally being held in circuit-closing positions by means of a coil spring I connected at one end to the upper end of the switch lever and connected at the other end to a screw Il. Each screw ll is passed through an aperture l2 in an end wall of the box or casing and a thumb screw I3 is threaded on each screw I l and bears against the outside of the end wall, thereby to draw up the screw il and impose an adjustable tension on the coil spring lll, which in turn holds the switch lever 9 with greater or less tension in closed position. Nor- 50 mally, therefore, the ignition circuit would be maintained.

Located preferably centrally of the box or casing 5 is a heavy weight I l which may be of lead or lead alloy, said weight having adjustable hooks 55 l5 at each end with which it may be connected to (Cl. 20G-52) a pair of wires or cables I6 extending to and connected with switch levers 9. Apertures l1 may be provided intermediate the ends of the switch levers to facilitate such connection. It will be clear that the tension of the twotcoil springs lll serves not only to hold the switches in closed position but will maintain the wires or cables I6 taut and practically horizontal, with the weight I4 thus held in the middle of the box, free to move in any direction in response to its momentum or in ertia. A suiliciently strong force will overcome the powerful pull of the two coil springs Il) and will move the switch levers 9 to open position shown in dotted lines. Preferably the switches 'l are toggle switches which are so made that when the switch levers are moved to open position they will remain in that position, thus requiring resetting of the device, which is easily eiected by taking oi the lid 6 and moving the switch levers 9 back into the circuit-closing positions.

A particular advantage of the described construction is the' fact that the device will operate regardless of the direction in which the blow comes, a sidewise collision or over-turning of the car being just as eifective as an endwise collision. Another advantage is the ease with which the device may be installed: it is only necessary to secure the box under the hood of a car or at some other appropriate point and make the necessary connections with the ignition circuit. The device requires no attention except after a collision or other accident opening the ignition circuit. A further advantage is the fact that the device may be sold at a very low cost. There is nothing in the construction which can get out of order and hence the safety switch of this invention is good for the life of the car or other vehicle to which it may be attached.

Obviously the present invention may be embodied in a number of forms neither shown nor described but within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described an embodiment of the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

l. A safety device of the character described comprising, in combination, a casing; a pair of switches in the casing having operating levers extending outwardly therefrom; a weight; a pair of flexible members each connected at one end to an operating lever and at the other endto the weight; a pair of coil springs connected to the operating levers; and means to adjust the tension of the coil springs; the parts being so arranged and constructed that the coil springs h old the tion engine.

3. A safety device comprising, in combination, a switch adapted when open to break the ignition circuit of an engine; a spring holding the switch closed; and a weight flexibly mounted and connected to the switch and partly supported by the spring tension, said weight opening the switch when its inertia or momentum exceeds the tension of the spring.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein there is adjustable means connected to the switch and also to the spring, and adapted tu regulate the tension of the spring and also to reset the switch after the latter breaks the ignition circuit.

5. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the means to adjust the tension o'f the coil springs comprise a pair of threaded members each passing through a wall oi.' the casing' and having a nut outside the casing which draws up the threaded member; said threaded members each being attached to an operating lever to permit `resetting of the switches from outside of the casing.

' FRANCIS J. BA'I'I'ESTIN. EARL C. FOX. 

